Top U.S. Senior wrestlers set to compete in Poland, Romania

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Craig Sesker (USA Wrestling)
08/04/2011


Nine members of the 2011 U.S. World Team, including seven Greco-Roman wrestlers and two in freestyle, are scheduled to compete in international events this weekend.

The U.S. World Team in Greco-Roman is scheduled to wrestle at the Pytlasinski International on Friday and Saturday in Radom, Poland.

The U.S. Greco World Team is led by World champion Dremiel Byers, along with World bronze medalists Justin Lester and Justin Ruiz. Lester and Olympian Spenser Mango are expected to wrestle up a weight class in this event.

U.S. World Team freestyle members Cael Sanderson and Jake Varner are scheduled to wrestle in the Ion Corneanu Memorial on Saturday and Sunday in Targoviste, Romania.

Sanderson will compete overseas for the first time since winning the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The Penn State head coach returned to the mat this year and won the U.S. World Team Trials in June. Varner was a quarterfinalist at the 2009 World Championships in Denmark.

The U.S. also will send a Greco-Roman squad to compete in the Corneanu event in Romania. 2009 World Team member Chas Betts leads the U.S. team that will compete there.

A Webcast is available from the Greco event in Poland:

Watch live feed from Poland

PYTLASINSKI INTERNATIONAL
At Rodam, Poland, Aug. 5-6

U.S. Greco-Roman Team
60 kg/132 lbs. – Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Justin Lester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jake Fisher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Cheney Haight, Boise, Idaho (New York AC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Justin Ruiz, Orem, Utah (New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
Coaches – National Coach Steve Fraser (Colorado Springs, Colo.); James Johnson (Phoenix, Ariz.); Shon Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

ION CORNEANU MEMORIAL
At Targoviste, Romania, Aug. 6-7

U.S. Freestyle Team
84 kg/185 lbs. – Cael Sanderson, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
Coaches - Bobby Douglas (Ames, Iowa); Cody Sanderson (State College, Pa.)

U.S. Greco-Roman Team
55 kg/121 lbs. – Nikko Triggas, Moraga, Calif. (Ohio RTC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – C.P. Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Andy Bisek, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Jordan Holm, Orem, Utah (Minnesota Storm)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Chas Betts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Ryan Hope, Carol Stream, Ill. (USOEC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Moises Hernandez Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Pete Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (Sunkist Kids)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Brandon Rupp, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Coaches - Assistant National Coach Momir Petkovic (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Dan Hicks (Wilmington, N.C.)